Barcelona identify 26-year-old star as potential Robert Lewandowski successor: Reports 

Barcelona have reportedly identified Viktor Gyokeres as the potential replacement for their star striker Robert Lewandowski. As claimed by Spanish outlet Fichajes.net, the Blaugrana have set their sights on the in-demand Sporting CP star.

Lewandowski is widely regarded as one of the greatest centre-forwards in the modern era but he is 36 years old now. With the Poland international's contract at Camp Nou expiring in 2026, Barcelona have reportedly started their search for his successor.

Gyokeres has reportedly emerged as an ideal candidate to replace Lewandowski in the long run following his exploits for Sporting CP. The Sweden international has been exceptional for the Portuguese giants following his reported €20 million move from Championship side Coventry City in the summer of 2023.

The 26-year-old has been scoring for fun for Ruben Amorim's side. He scored 43 goals and provided 15 assists in 50 appearances across competitions last season helping them secure the Primeira Liga.

The Sweden international has started this season from exactly where he left off last time out. He has scored seven goals and produced three assists in five appearances.

Gyokeres has been linked with a host of clubs including the likes of Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Chelsea in recent months. Now, the Blaugrana are also prepared to enter the race to sign the red-hot striker.

The attacker has a reported €100 million release clause in his deal with Sporting CP and his current deal does not expire until 2028. Hence, he is unlikely to come cheap which makes him quite difficult to attain for Barcelona given their financial situation.

Meanwhile, Lewandowski has been excellent for Barcelona since joining the Catalan giants in 2022 from Bayern Munich in a reported €50 million deal. He has scored 63 goals and provided 18 assists in 99 appearances, helping them secure two trophies.

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Deco claims Barcelona rejected offers for star players this summer

Barcelona sporting director Deco has claimed that the Blaugrana rejected offers for several star players this summer. He has now opened up on the reasons behind the club's decision to retain their key players despite offers from elsewhere. Deco said, as quoted by Barca Universal:

"Within what we had planned, we found the balance. The signing of Olmo gives us that, he is a different profile. Keep Raphinha, who we had. There were offers, but we didn’t want to lose anyone important."

The former Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder added:

“Let’s not forget that we have Gavi, Frenkie, who are still recovering, we have Ronald, Christensen. When they come back, the problem will be for the coach because they won’t be able to play all the time. I think that last year we had a shorter squad. This year Hector, Sergi Domínguez can play… they have taken a step forward.”

Deco further added:

“When we look at the other teams… we have players who are European champions, who the market wants. We could have sold 4-5-6 players or many more. It’s a sign that we have an important squad if the clubs come knocking on your door."

Barcelona had a solid transfer window last time out despite their well-documented financial struggles. They secured Dani Olmo's services from RB Leipzig while also signing Pau Victor from Girona. They also sold young players like Mikayil Faye and Marc Guiu.